Dark Paradise

Underneath and Beyond

Fun Fact: According to DC's Superman III (1983), Kryptonite is an alloy made up of 15.08% plutonium, 18.06% tantalum, 27.71% xenon, 24.02% promethium, 10.62% dialium, 3.94% mercury, and 0.57% of an unknown substance.

5

FIVE MONTHS LATER

"If what you said is true, we can't even begin look for the chemical they're using to corrupt the civilians' minds - furthermore, Superman", Arthur said. He stood leaning against the huge Sycamore tree. He fiddled with a pocket knife, slinging it open and snapping it back with just the flick of a wrist.

Barry frantically waltzed up and down behind his teammates as he mumbled to himself, the wind whistled around them up on the hill that they stood overlooking the press meeting that took place in the town's square.

A bold move, but the President and his staff were never ones to admit fear. Barry's paranoia served as a lingering presence that threatened to crawl under the skin of the others, who actively tried to avoid such thoughts. The frantic kid just wouldn't quiet down.

"For a superhero Barry, you're a tad jittery", Cyborg said, side eyeing him.

"Says the guy who won't stop shaking", Arthur remarked with a snide laugh.

"Alright enough", Bruce cut in, "Barry stop marching up and down you'll attract attention. Cyborg I know you probably can't help that, so try to think of locating any movements in the area - distract yourself. Arthur wouldn't it be funny if Diana's Lasso of Truth was somehow near you?"

Everyone chuckled at Arthur's instant disability to smile any longer. His body stayed propped against the tree but his golden eyes were snapping around him, seeking the stupid rope that always managed to humiliate him.

"Sorry I'm late guys", the guys turned to the voice of no other but Diana. The playful air that began to override the tense one quickly diminish as she sauntered over to them. Clad in a black trench coat with fur on the collars, tall black boots and her hair tied up in a loose bun. Her eyes told stories of reading way too much and her gait of one that was tense.

"You sure you want to let Diana continue doing the research for the chemical?" Cyborg asked, walking up to Barry.

Sighing softly, "I think it's the best thing to do considering I don't know what's going with her. Plus, Superman's been AWOL and Lois is doing a terrible job of covering for him."

The two turned back to Diana who gestured for them to follow her, closer to where her car was parked. Briefly dipping in her head, she grabbed files from her assistant and stood back stacking the files in her hand. She turned back to the group and passed them each a file.

"You found something", Bruce stated, going through the papers. She watched everyone flip through it and glance up at her with wide eyes.

"You found all of this last night?" Arthur questioned incredulously.

Diana couldn't told them how since the night Kal-El left her, she completely went on a bender diving head first into the things that Anonymous were doing to the city, where they came from and why they wanted to kill the President. She couldn't tell them she illegally gained access to the street cameras all around the city and studied the way the men worked. Studied the way regular men would be walking at night and be snatched away into the darkness then resurface looking like hardened and seasoned criminals. She couldn't tell them how, instead of licking her wounds, she endlessly tried to get in contact with Anonymous. She took their men and questioned them in underground labs with the lasso of truth. Of course, they spilled all they could. The one that stuck in her head the most was Harden Lewis. He used to be a junior journalist for the Daily Planet and then was fired then suddenly went missing. He wasn't seen for a few weeks and that's when Diana found him torturing a woman and her son and took him. An Ace's Spade tattoo on his arm. She couldn't tell them she followed some Anonymous goons to their 'secret lair' underneath the subway where there appears to be three leaders that seem to worship an entity. An entity that never shows it's face but has a significant amount of control over them. That 'Anonymous' wasn't a group of humans but an actual anonymous entity that never showed it's face. In the subway that night, she could feel the heaviness in the place. She could hear the slight undercurrent rumbling. This was a mind thing, and there was nothing the president or his staff or herd of barking dogs could do about it. The Justice League were the only ones capable of taking it on and even then, she wasn't sure. She knew too little even after all of that work. How could she ever explain all of this to them and not have them bombard her with questions on why she never informed them, or included them. She couldn't tell them that the sole purpose for doing any of this was to fill the emptiness that permeated her entire system day and night since Kal-El left. How could she? What would that change? Nothing. Nothing at all. Anonymous would still want the president dead, people would continue being possessed and Kal-El would not be there to make everything alright - or at least make things feel like it was alright. So the best she could do was put her true feelings on the shelf, blanket the frown and smile with her shoulders squared. Be the woman they and everyone else expected. It's all she had left anyway...